We want to be the world leader in fuel economy and alternative fuels, he said.

The Blue-Will sits on a 106-inch wheelbase. It is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline direct-injection engine teamed with a 100-kilowatt electric motor. Hyundai has developed its own lithium-ion battery.

Almost every part on this car has been developed in-house, Yang said. That will make it possible to make this vehicle affordable.

Yang said the Blue-Will can travel about 38 miles on electricity only. Hyundai claims a fuel economy rating of 106 mpg in plug-in mode and up to 55 mpg in hybrid-electric mode. The concept car features a panoramic glass roof with solar cells for recharging.

We want to show our technological image to get people to the dealerships to drive our cars, he said. We are not necessarily trying to make money on hybrids.

Yang would not estimate the price. He also said the technology is not expected to appear on a Kia vehicle.